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PUBLISHED BY THE CITY OF EUGENE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
SPRING 2025
Also In This Issue Groundwater & Springs......2 OSU Extension....................2 Stormwater Basin...............3 Stormwater Fees.................3 2025 Improvements...........4 Rain Fall Response.............6 Functions of Floodplains....7 Lily’s Pad.............................8
PROTECT YOUR TREES: KNOW HOW TO WATER AND KEEP THEM HEALTHY Last year’s intense summer sun was tough on tree health. If you walk around your neighborhood, you may see several large trees with wilting leaves or an abundance of needles heaped up on the ground. Ornamental trees, such as dogwoods and Japanese maples, along with evergreen trees are the most vulnerable to dry conditions. When these trees lack enough moisture, the result is smaller, off-colored leaves, or, in the case of evergreens, a premature dropping of needles. Your trees might need a little more attention from you in these conditions.
WATER WHERE IT COUNTS Water around the tree’s drip line for water to reach the tree’s feeder roots. The roots that absorb water and nutrients are only close to the trunk for about the first five years of a tree’s life. These feeder roots grow farther out as the tree grows. The optimal place to water mature trees is between the drip line and the trunk. The drip line is the outside edge of the tree canopy where rain would drip down from the leaves.
These simple watering and tree care techniques can save you a lot of money down the road. A large, unhealthy tree can cost thousands to remove.
ECRWSS
Permit No. 360
Eugene, OR
US Postage Paid
Public Works Stormwater Management Program 99 West 10th Avenue, Suite 370 Eugene, OR 97401 RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER
CITY OF EUGENE
Prsrt Std
continued on pg. 5 “Trees”
GOOD TREE CARE SAVES MONEY
VOLUNTEERS MAKE AN IMPACT ON LOCAL WATERWAYS Lending a hand with our waterways is a valuable way for individuals to contribute to the health and vitality of aquatic ecosystems. Volunteers often engage in activities such as cleaning up litter, removing invasive species, and planting native vegetation along riverbanks and shores. These efforts help to improve water quality, enhance habitats for wildlife, and increase the overall ecological balance of the area. Additionally, volunteering fosters a deep sense of environmental stewardship and connection to nature, as participants witness firsthand the positive changes their actions bring about. continued on pg. 4 “Volunteers”
YOU CAN HELP PROTECT POLLINATORS As part of our state’s broader effort to protect bees and other pollinators critical to life on Earth, Oregon has taken a few steps over the years to restrict the use of neonicotinoid pesticides (also known as “neonics”). The City of Eugene was the first in the nation to ban the use of neonic pesticides on City property in 2014, and Portland followed suit shortly after. Statewide, it has been 10 years since the Oregon Department of Agriculture banned the use of four neonicotinoid products on Linden, Basswood and other Tilia trees, but with pollinators still facing dramatic declines, additional action is required. More than 80% of flowering plants and about one-third continued on pg. 6 “Pollinators”